Gabon - elections

Opposition demands election recount

Article published on the 2009-09-08 Latest update 2009-09-08 10:02 TU

Opposition leaders in Gabon say the government is covering up a "bloodbath"
(Photo: AFP)

Opposition leaders in Gabon have called for a recount to determine the winner of the disputed presidential election. They have also claimed the government set up by Ali Bongo has been lying about the number of people who have died in unrest following the elections.

"Locals are coming back to Port Gentil, it was the city that was really boiling, but things are cooling down," Lydia Boka, a risk analyst with StrategiCo told RFI.

Bongo was declared the winner of the election on Thursday with 42 per cent of the vote, followed by former Interior Minister Andre Mba Obame with 26 per cent and opposition leader Pierre Mamboundou with 25 per cent.

"Another outcome would have been really surprising," says Boka. "Everywhere in Africa, you have an extreme personalisation of power, people don’t vote because of ideas, or parties, or ideology - but because of personality," she added.

However the coalition of 16 losing candidates, which includes Mba Obame and Mamboundou, issued a declaration, claiming again that the election was fraudulent.

They said in their declaration that the election was marred by "grave manipulations" and charged that there was a "scandalous stuffing of ballot boxes" as well as an "incomprehensible swelling of voter lists".

"We demand a recount of votes that was interrupted by the president of the CENAP (electoral commission)," they said.

They have also accused the government of covering up a “bloodbath”.

The government said at least three people died during riots that erupted after Bongo was declared the winner of the August 30 vote, succeeding his father Omar Bongo who died in June after 41 years in power.

But the opposition has called for an investigation into the violence.

"The number of deaths caused by the army repression is much higher than the government would like to say," said the declaration which was read by former prime minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong.

The government said on Monday that Ali Bongo had received a letter of congratulations from French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

"Following the announcement by the constitutional court of the presidential election results, I am happy to address to you my congratulations and wishes of success in fulfilling the responsibilities that await you," read the Sarkozy letter shown to AFP.